Lifting beam for electrolysis cells



March 25, 1969 D. DUCLAUX LIFTING BEAM FOR ELECTROLYSIS CELLS 4 m I W F Sheet Filed May 24, 1966 a'lllll'llllllllllll. Pill INVENTOR. DAN/1. D061 ,4 0x

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LIFTING BEAM FOR ELECTROLYSIS CELLS March 25, 1969 Filed May 24, 1966 FIG. 2

Sheet a u E m w v w D. DUCLAUX LIFTING BEAM FOR ELECTROLYSIS CELLS March 25, 1969 Filed May 24, 1966 United States Patent LIFTING BEAM FOR ELECTROLYSIS CELLS Daniel Duclaux, Lille, Nord, France, assignor to Pechiney-Compagnie de Produits Chimiques et Electrometallurgiques, Paris, France Filed May 24, 1966, Ser. No. 554,280 Claims priority, application France, May 26, 1965, 18,483 Int. Cl. B01k 3/00 US. Cl. 204-225 15 Claims This invention relates to a lifting beam for use with electrolytic cells, especially in cells of the type employed for the preparation of aluminum.

The electrolysis cells, such as employed in the manufacture of aluminum, generally comprise, in their anode section, one or more horizontal bars or conductors which serve to supply the electrical current and on which the vertical rods, which conduct the current to the anodes, are engaged. The contained Soderberg anodes or the prebaked anodes are suspended from these bars.

The bars are capable of vertical displacement to permit adjustment of the interpolar distance and to compensate for the wear on the lower face of the anode system so that the anodic plane will remain substantially in a fixed position. Since the amplitude of displacement is limited, When the bars reach their lowest position by reason of Wear, it becomes necessary to raise the bars to their higher position. During this lifting operation, it is important for the Soderberg anodes or the prcbaked anodes to remain substantially immobile so that neither the horizontal relationship, nor the regularity, nor the position of the anodic plane are modified, otherwise the operation of the cell might be disturbed.

It is also important to maintain good electrical contact between the horizontal bars and the rods of a contained anode or prebaked anode, otherwise arcing would result to cause deterioration of the contact surfaces.

Finally, it is important for this operation to be carried out under optimum conditions from the standpoint of safety and from the standpoint of the amount of labor required.

Attempts have been made to use lifting beams which form a fixed support on which the rods of the anode can be fixed, but the problem of supplying the anode system during the lifting operation still remained.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lifting beam for electrolysis cells in which the superstructure has at least one movable bar on which the anode system is fixed by its rods and which satisfies the following conditions: it remains perfectly stationary with respect to the cell during the lifting operation; it maintains the electrical contact between he anode rods and the supply conductor; and can be moved by a single person, as by means of a handling device, such as a simple overhead crane.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which-- FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of the lifting beam embodying the features of this invention with the clamp in unlocking position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the lifting beam in FIG. 1 with the clamp in locking position;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing the assembly including the anode clamping cover with the control members of the clamp removed; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view of a guiding device for the lifting beam.

The support beam of this invention comprises a support frame capable of resting on the fixed part of the cell; rod clamping covers each of which is pivoted on a "ice shaft fixed to the support frame and each of which has a clamp, with the fixed element fast with the cover, while the movable element pivots about a shaft fixed to the cover and connected at one end to a spring, the other end of which is fixed to the frame support, with the spring being acted upon by a jack operable in the opposite direction.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the beam has as many covers as the anode system has rods.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, one cover can serve to hold more than one rod.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, each cover is electrically insulated from the sup port frame to prevent passage of electrical current from one rod to another through the mechanisms of the beam.

In accordance with a still further preferred embodiment of the invention, the lifting beam has at least one guiding device fixed on the support frame, such as an inclined. surface capable of sliding on the fixed element of the cell to insure the accurate positioning of the beam on the cell. The lifting beam which is intended for use with igneous electrolysis cells having prebaked anodes comprises a superstructure formed of a fixed portion mounted on the floor of the work room or fixed to the tank and a movable frame having bars for the supply of electrical current and to which the anode rods are attached. This movable frame is mounted for vertical translatory movement in relation to the fixed part.

The fixed portion of the superstructure is illustrated in the drawing by two Lbeam member-s 20 with the members being symmetrical to the plane of symmetry 10 of the assembly formed by the superstructure and the lifting beam 100.

The lifting beam comprises a support frame which can be formed of any rigid structure capable of serving as a suppport for the covers. The structure illustrated is formed of two parts symmetrical in relation to the axis 10. Each of these two parts comprise two angle members 111 and 112 which are interconnected in an appropriate manner, such for example as by metal plates 113. The two parts of the support frame are joined by transverse metal plates 116 and 117. The assembly can be braced in order still further to increase the rigidity and strength of the assembly.

The rod clamping covers are fixed onto the support frame 110 by means of an electrically insulating assembly 120 which comprises the two main insulating plates 121 and 122 between which the vertical sides of the angle members 111 and 112 are held as by a clamping action. Accurate positioning as well as a limitation of the clamping action are insured by the inner insulating plates 123 and 124. In successive order on the two bolts 125 and 126 there are mounted a metal protection and reinforcing plate 127, the main insulating plate 121, the inner insulating plate 123 or 124, the second main insulating plate 122 and the fixed support 131 of the anode clamping cover 130. The vertical sides of the angle members 111 and 112 are gripped between the main plates 121 and 122 outwardly of the inner plates 123 and 124. Finally, the nut members 128 and 129 are threadably secured on the ends of the bolts 125 and 126.

The rod clamping cover 130 is mounted on the cover support 131 by means of the pivot 132. The cover proper is formed of two U-shaped members 141 and 142 interconnected by the cover guide 143. Movements of the cover 140 about the pivot 132 are dampened by the compression spring 144 operating between the cover support 131 and the plate 140 of the cover 140. The rod 145 supports the cover 140 through the pivoted connection 146.

Mounted in the cover is a clamp which is capable of gripping an anode rod 30 and of applying it firmly onto the conductor which supplies it with electrical energy, the said conductor being formed generally of a bar of conductive metal which is fast with the movable frame of the superstructure. The clamp comprises a fixed member 151 which forms a part of the cover 140 and a movable member 152 which is fixed to a support 153 capable of rocking movement about a shaft 154 fixed to the same cover. The support 153 constitutes a lever which is acted upon at its end opposite the member 152 from the pivot by a member 155 which is pivoted onto the end through shaft 156.

The supporting lever 153 is acted upon in opposite directions by two energy sources. The jack 157 is preferably mounted for action in a direction for opening the clamp, that is to say, in an upward direction in the modification shown in FIG. 1, to rock the support 153 in a direction to displace the member 152 away from the fixed member 151. The spring 158 is mounted for action in the opposite direction for closing of the clamp, or in the downward direction in the modification shown in FIG. 1.

It is obviously possible to reverse the mounted relationship of the two actuating members, but any damage to the jack or its control circuit would result in the opening of the clamp which would present a dangerous situation such that the arrangement described is the one that is generally preferred.

The upper end of the rod 160 supporting the spring 158 is pivoted on the shaft 159 on the outer end portion of the cover support 131.

In relation to the clamp, that is to say, the member 155, the jack 157 has a first member 161 such as the cylinder or piston of a piston-cylinder arrangement mounted on a support bar 163 which is pivoted on pin 164 through the lower end portion of the member 155. With respect to the fixed point on the rod 160, the jack 157 acts through a lever 165 having three separate pivot positions including a pivot 166 at one end with the rod 160, a central pivot 167 with the upper end of the support bar 163, and a third pivot 168 on the other or outer end with the second member 162 or the other of the piston or cylinder members of the piston-cylinder arrangement of the jack 157. The support 163 has a stop 169, which extends as an abutment to limit the travel of the lever 165 about its pivot 157.

The clamp members 151 and 152, which bear on the rod 30 are offset vertically one from another by an amount whereby, when the clamp is tightened, the rod is subjected to a force component which enhances its application to the current supply bar.

For reasons of equilibrium and symmetry, the spring 144 may be duplicated for arrangement on opposite sides of the cover 140, as shown in FIG. 3.

The lifting beam may advantageously be provided with guiding devices for use in positioning the beam on the cell, such as when it is suspended from an overhead crane.

With reference now to FIG. 4, the angle members or brackets 111 and 112 carry the supporting angle members 171 and 172, each of which is formed with vertically aligned openings 171 and 172 in the horizontally disposed fianged portions in which openings are dimensioned to enable a rod 173 slidably to extend therethrough. The rod 173 is equipped with a stop device, such as a stop pin or plate 174, and is enclosed by a compression spring 175 operating between the stop plate 174 and the upper angle member 171. The lower end of the guide rod 173 is fitted with guide member 176 in the form of a horizontally disposed portion 176 and a portion 176 extend ing angularly outwardly and downwardly from the end thereof.

The spring 175 is calibrated so that it is brought under compression by the weight of the lifting beam but not by the vertical component of a lateral stress resulting from any defect in the centering of the beam. The operation of the beam is as follows in the process of lifting the movable frame of an electrolytic cell:

The beam is brought above the cell by any means of manipulation and then progressively lowered. The guide member portion 176 comes into engagement with the section members, such as the I-beams 20 on which the beam is to rest. The oblique part 176 of the guide slides over these section members without the spring 175 being compressed. When the side of the section member 20 comes into engagement with the seat 177 of the guide and when the descending movement of the beam is continued, the spring 175 is compressed until the cross members 112 rest on the section member 20. The beam is then in position and is properly centered.

The length of the rod 173 is such that when the flange of the beam 20 comes to rest in its seat 177, each anode rod 30 remains below the corresponding cover and penetrates thereinto only when the beam continues to descend to its final position. Because of the spring 144, the cover, with the clamp members in released position, can experience a slight displacement thereby to enable it to cover the rod 30 which will be fixed in a rather rigid manner to the movable frame of the cell.

The clamp members 151 and 152 are then actuated to their closed position. For this purpose, the jack 157 is operated to retract the piston rod 162. As the jack no longer operates to compress the spring 158, the spring 158 is able to expand to urge the element in the downward direction on the pivot 156. Thus the lever 153 is rocked about its pivot to bring the clamp member 152 in raised position or to its locked position, as shown in FIG. 2, to engage the upper end of the rod 30.

The anode rods 30 are then disengaged from the movable frame of the cell and remain suspended from the cover 140.

The spring 158 operates to urge the cover 14% to rock about its pivot into engagement with the superstructure of the cell, that is to say, in the direction towards the member 20, so that the anode rods will be pressed firmly against the conductor bar fixed to the movable frame which then continues to supply the rods with electrical energy. The supply is thus maintained in a continuous manner.

The movable frame is again raised from the superstructure of the cell. During such movement, the conductor bar slides along the rods 30 without breaking contact therebetween. The anode rods are then again fixed to the raised movable frame and the clamps 151 and 152 are actuated to unclamping position to release the rods.

For this purpose, the pressure in the cylinder or jack 157 is re-established whereby the piston rod is displaced outwardly for action on the lever 165. The spring 158 is compressed and transmits a tractive force in the upward direction on the pivot 156. Thus the lever 153 is rocked about its pivot 154 and the clamping member 152 is displaced to its lowered position to disengage the cover from the rod 30. The cover reassumes its quasi-vertical position since the spring 158 does not effect any further displacement thereof towards the member 20. Thus the beam can then be lifted for use with another cell.

A number of modifications are possible. For example, it is possible to provide only one cover for several anode rods whether or not the cover contains several locking clamps, for example, one per rod, or Whether it contains only a single clamp whereby the cover is capable of locking all the clamps which it covers.

It will be understood that other changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A lifting device for electrolysis cells having at least one vertically movable conductor member on which the electrode rods are removably fixed, which remains stationary relative to the cell during vertical adjustment of the conductor member and in which an electrically conductive relationship is maintained between the electrode rods and the conductor member comprising a support frame movable in position over the cell, a cover pivoted from the support frame for rocking movement in the direction toward and away from the movable conductor member, a clamp forming a part of the cover having a stationary member fixed to the cover and a member movable in the direction toward and away from the stationary member between clamping and unclamping position, resilient means operatively connected to said movable member constantly to urge said movable member in one direction, and jack means operatively connected to said movable member for actuation thereof in the opposite direction and means for displacement of the frame and cover to position an electrode rod between the clamping members.

2. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 in which the cell has a stationary fixed portion in addition to the movable conductor member and in which the support frame embodies means which rests on the fixed portion of the cell during movement to position the cover over the electrode rod.

3. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 in which the movable conductor member is a horizontally disposed bar mounted for movement between raised and lowered positions.

4. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes insulating means between the rod clamp cover and the support frame for insulating the cover from the frame.

5. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 in which the frame spans a plurality of electrode rods and in which the number of rod clamping covers corresponds to the number of electrode rods spanned by the frame.

6. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 in which each cover embodies at least two clamping members for holding at least two electrode rods therebetween.

7. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 in which each cover contains as many clamps as there are electrodes to be engaged.

8. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 in which the clamp engages a plurality of electrode rods.

9. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes means constantly urging the rod clamping cover to rock in the direction toward the support frame.

10. A lifting device as claimed in claim 9 in which the means constantly urging the rod clamping cover comprises spring means.

11. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 in which the resilient means constantly urging the movable clamping member comprises spring means which constantly urges the movable member to unclamping position.

12. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 in which the movable member of the clamp is offset vertically from the stationary member.

13. A lifting device as claimed in claim 12 in which the movable member is offset in the direction to engage a vertically otfset portion of the electrode bar for rocking the electrode bar in the direction to engage the conductor while in clamping position.

14. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes a guide means on the support frame for guiding the support onto the cell.

15. A lifting device as claimed in claim 14 in which the guide means includes a rod mounted for vertical sliding movement in a support fixed to the frame, means on the lower end portion of the rod having a horizontally disposed portion and an inclined portion for engagement with the cell and resilient means constantly urging the rod to its downwardly extended position' whereby the rod is depressed vertically responsive to continued downward movement of the frame after engagement of the guide means with the cell.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,219,570 11/1965 Wunderli 204225 3,235,478 2/1966 Mantovanello et al. 204225 3,245,898 4/ 1966 Wunderli 204-225 JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner. DONALD R. VALENTINE, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 204243, 67 

1. A LIFTING DEVICE FOR ELECTROLYSIS CELLS HAVING AT LEAST ONE VERTICALLY MOVABLE CONDUCTOR MEMBER ON WHICH THE ELECTRODE RODS ARE REMOVABLY FIXED, WHICH REMAINS STATIONARY RELATIVE TO THE CELL DURING VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE CONDUCTOR MEMBER AND IN WHICH AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP IS MAINTAINED BETWEEN THE ELECTRODE RODS AND THE CONDUCTOR MEMBER COMPRISING A SUPPORT FRAME MOVABLE IN POSITION OVER THE CELL, A COVER PIVOTED FROM THE SUPPORT FRAME FOR ROCKING MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE MOVABLE CONDUCTOR MEMBER, A CLAMP FORMING A PART OF THE COVER HAVING A STATIONARY MEMBER FIXED TO THE COVER AND A MEMBER MOVABLE IN THE DIRECTION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE STATIONARY MEMBER BETWEEN CLAMPING AND UNCLAMPING POSITION, RESILIENT MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOVABLE MEMBER CONSTANTLY TO URGE SAID MOVABLE MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION, AND JACK MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOVABLE MEMBER FOR ACTUATION THEREOF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND MEANS FOR DISPLACEMENT OF THE FRAME AND COVER TO POSITION AN ELECTRODE ROD BETWEEN THE CLAMPING MEMBERS. 